A novel computer-based functional skills assessment and training program

Abstract People with cognitive impairments such as those with dementia or Mild Cognitive ImpairmentMCIoften experience difficulty performing everyday routine activitiesparticularly those involving technology as it generally involves new learningFurthernormative age related changes in cognition often lead to performance deficits on previously learned skills and also impede new learningsuch as learning to use new technology systemswhich are ubiquitous in today s technology driven worldThis is of great concern given the aging of the populationthe increasing number of older adults with cognitive impairmentsand the continual deployment of new technologies in everyday contextsCurrentlythere is a vast interest in developing tools to detect the earliest manifestations of cognitive and functional decline and in developing efficacious pharmacological and non pharmacological interventions for those who are experiencing or at risk for cognitive and functional problemsThe proposed Phasestudy will refine and evaluate a novel integrated computer based functional skills assessment and trainingFSTprogram that provides training on everyday tasks critical to independent livinge gfinancial and medication managementThe tasks in the program are veridical representations of everyday activities and real world systems and the training is tailored to the unique needs of an individual via the assessment componentThe sample will includenon impaired older adults andadults with MCIwho will be randomly assigned to the FST conditiona cognitive rehabilitation trainingCRTcondition or a combined FST CRT conditionThis design will allow us to examine the specificity of effects and examine the benefits of direct functional skill training relative to CRT on functional skillsFSand cognitive outcomes and to determine if CRT provides a priming effect that further enhances the benefits of FSTOutcome measures will include objective measures of cognitive and functional abilitiesself and informant reports of everyday task performanceand measures of self efficacy and the acceptability and usability of the programWe will also gather data on the maintenance of training gains over timeThe overall objective of the proposed Phasestudy is to develop an integrated commercially available technology based functional skills assessment and training program that can be deployed on a variety of technology platforms such as tablets or PCs and used in a variety of settingse gclinical settingshome environmentswith diverse adult populationsUltimately our long term goal is to develop a product that can help prevent and treat functional declines and maintain the cognitive health and functional independence of older adults